Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed several explosive-laden drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia toward Khamis Mushayt on Thursday. The Arab coalition said the Iran-backed group continues to target civilians, which is tantamount to war crimes. The Houthis launch the rigged drones toward the Kingdom on a near-daily basis. …
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Syrian forces enter war-torn Daraa, opposition alleges rights abuses
The Syrian government and rebel groups recently reached a cease-fire deal in the southern city that played a large role in the 2011 uprising. Syrian government forces entered Daraa al-Balad on Wednesday as per an agreement with rebel groups in the southern Syrian city. Though there is a cease-fire, one …
Read More »Egypt, Jordan, Syria agree to export gas to crisis-stricken Lebanon
Syria also agreed to transfer Jordanian electricity to Lebanon, while Iran already sent fuel. Several Middle Eastern states agreed to export natural gas from Egypt to energy-starved Lebanon, though the exact plan is not clear. The energy ministers of Egypt, Syria and Jordan met in Amman on Wednesday with their …
Read More »Boko Haram Capture of Military Equipment Fuels Lake Chad Insurgency
Boko Haram’s capture of materiel from government forces in the Lake Chad region bolsters the jihadi insurgency’s lethality, posing a grave risk to civilians, peacekeepers, and other military personnel. A year ago on this platform I raised a concern that the two main Boko Haram factions secured considerable lethal materiel …
Read More »Quds Force commander says Iran will take ‘realistic’ approach in Afghanistan
Iran must strike a balance between accepting the reality of the Taliban and supporting Shiite and other ethnic groups. Iran’s Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani spoke to parliament during a closed session Tuesday about the situation in neighboring Afghanistan. According to Iranian parliamentarian Alireza Soleimani, Ghaani said Iran had a …
Read More »Iraqi PM vows to fix Kirkuk security issues after gruesome Islamic State attack
Following an Islamic State attack in which over a dozen Iraqi policemen were killed, the prime minister criticized military leaders’ “shortcomings” and pledged to address the issue. Meanwhile, counterterrorism operations continue in the same disputed province to prevent further attacks. Gruesome photos circulated of the bodies of the 13 policemen …
Read More »Syrian forces enter war-torn Daraa, opposition alleges rights abuses
The Syrian government and rebel groups recently reached a cease-fire deal in the southern city that played a large role in the 2011 uprising. Syrian government forces entered Daraa al-Balad on Wednesday as per an agreement with rebel groups in the southern Syrian city. Though there is a cease-fire, one …
Read More »Syrian jihadist group works to attract tribes in Idlib
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has been paying more attention to Arab tribes and clans to benefit from them in expanding its influence in social circles and in recruitment processes. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, seeks to attract Arab tribes and clans in its areas of …
Read More »After Afghanistan pullout, US pursues long-distance diplomacy from Qatar
Without a diplomatic presence on the ground in Kabul, the United States will engage with the Taliban from a remote mission in Doha. With the US military withdrawn from Afghanistan, the focus has shifted to what Secretary of State Antony Blinken has billed as the next chapter of America’s engagement …
Read More »Erdogan heralds massive military complex to coordinate military, security agencies
A planned joint complex to house Turkey’s top military bodies is touted as a move to enhance the army’s coordination and interoperability, but political and economic motivations also lurk behind the project. Turkey has launched the construction of the massive military complex, the Crescent and Star, named after the symbols …
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